In October, New York City 8th graders interested in attending specialized high schools will take the SHSAT. After two years of substantial format changes, which included the removal of the logic section, the addition of a revising & editing section, and new “grid-in" math questions, this years SHSAT suggests more incremental refinements.
As we dig into the newly released tests, we will update this post to include our observations.
7/14 – As the newest addition to the SHSAT, it would make sense that the revising and editing section should see the most substantial changes, and this appears to be the case. The new tests have fewer grammar-centric questions and more SAT-like narrative and rhetorical questions.
On the math side, we’re noticing math a trend toward somewhat less sophisticated, but more time consuming questions. Lots of beefy word problems toward the end of the test will pose a challenge to students encountering test fatigue.
The 2019-2020 handbook features 2 full length tests.
Download the 2019-2020 SHSAT handbook here.
Because these tests are the most accurate reflection of the most current test design, we strongly encourage families to be strategic about when and how to incorporate these tests into study.
Whether your child is preparing with a parent, tutor, or independently, he or she should consider waiting to use these released 2019-2020 tests until relatively late in the game. Instead, have your child build content knowledge by studying previous released handbooks or by using a high quality prep book (we think the TutorVerse book is pretty good).
These newly released tests are best used as full mock exams, preferably in a simulated testing environment. We offer regular mock testing at our classroom in Carroll Gardens. (Click here to learn more and sign up)
If you have questions about SHSAT strategy or would like to learn more about our approach to SHSAT prep, we'd love to hear from you. Give us a call at 3473247443 or shoot as an email.